So, an image services over the weekend of Michael Phelps with a bong.  MSN has a nice long and repititive story covering the whole drama. Here’s are some of the highlights…

Olympic great Michael Phelps acknowledged “regrettable” behavior and “bad judgment” after a photo in a British newspaper Sunday showed him inhaling from a marijuana pipe.

“I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” Phelps said in the statement released by one of his agents. “I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”

“He looked just as natural with a bong in his hands as he does swimming in the pool. He was the gold medal winner of bong hits.”

He has never tested positive for banned substances. The case is unlikely to fall under any doping rules.

Phelps’ main sanctions most likely will be financial — perhaps doled out by embarrassed sponsors who might be reconsidering their dealings with the swimmer.

“Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people,” the USOC said in a statement. “In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities.”

This isn’t the first embarrassing episode for Phelps after an Olympic triumph. In 2004, a few months after winning six gold and two bronze medals in Athens, the swimmer was arrested on a drunken driving charge at age 19. He pleaded guilty and apologized for the mistake.

“We are confident that, going forward, Michael will consistently set the type of example we all expect from a great Olympic champion,” the group said.

Like Michael said, he’s 23.  Granted, that’s no excuse for his actions but America loves to put people like him up on a pedestal and look what happens? These people are human, just like the rest of us, and they make mistakes. Or just once they slip up and act like everyone else and someone is right there taking a photo.  We’ve seen it happen with a ton of celebrities and politicians.  Why should an Olympic athlete be any different?  He did it the first time with his DUI when he was 19 and yet we forgave him and he got to go back and compete (America would have been a fool not to let him compete and we knew that).

Oooh…he won 8 Gold medals (two thanks to his team mates but no one cares about them) and now look at him.  Who cares?  If it wasn’t a bong, it’d be some cheap and taudry night out with some whore in a hotel room making a porn vid, or he’d be convulsing in an alley outside the Viper Room, or die of a drug overdose in his hotel, or have an affair with Jennifer Anisten and move to Africa and adopt foreign babies, or be gay in a hot tub with Chad Allen!  Who cares?!

Wake up, America!  Your heroes aren’t as perfect as you make them out to be!